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More on a last minute whim than anything, I find myself at the Wesleyan Centre, Maltby to catch the latest live set from Manning on a slightly less chilly 20th March. The weather is more promising, but what of the band?
Well, it was a bit of a revelation; I haven't seen these guys play live for a while (Cambridge Rock Festival in August 2009 to be precise) and there have been a couple of line-up changes. A new lead guitarist and a new keys player have joined the ranks but otherwise, they look the same and occupy just as much space which is a lot - there are eight of them!
The music is extremely tight, well organised and it is clear from the outset that these guys (and one gal) are out to have a good time. Some familiar tracks from the extensive Manning back catalogue are present and one from the new album which has yet to be released - 'Taken Into Consideration' - a very pop-sensible but infectious tune that comes across as a powerful signal that Guy Manning can still write some of the best hooks in prog - if you can call this prog. In fact, the whole ensemble is a powerhouse of driving, good humored rock music that spans so many genres, it is really hard to classify them.
What counts is the way the music hangs together, old and new tunes sitting comfortably but dynamically alongside one another, with a very strong audience reaction throughout. It's the usual prog crowd in some respects but they all have one thing in common tonight - they love this band. Every song gets a rousing response and the encores, when they come, are richly deserved. The musical and 'social' interplay between the various band members is very enjoyable to see and hear and the vein of humour that runs through the evening keeps everything light-hearted without tipping over into flippancy or slapstick.
Guy mentions in passing that the band is due to appear at Rosfest in May and this comes as no surprise. I think the only surprising thing is that it took them so long to book him but maybe someone knew that 2010 was the year when Guy would finally assemble the best line-up that he's ever had. That is what this is and considering I almost went for a curry instead of driving down to Maltby, I came away feeling like I'd turned out my pockets and found a twenty pound note!
If I was to criticise anything, the set absolutely flew past, even allowing for banter, and the guys (and Guy) might want to throw another tune or two into the mix. The audience tonight would have lapped it up and I'm sure Guy has played longer sets in the past. No-one tonight looked like they were ready to go home when the lights went up. Top stuff from a band at the top of its game.
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